Only three days ago, Mohammad Hanif (26) was an able-bodied man, rowing his boat and catching fish in the Naf River to provide for his family. Today, he lies in a bed at Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH), his left leg severed below the ankle—a victim of a landmine explosion at the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.
The incident occurred on Monday morning in the Lombabil area of Whykong Union under Teknaf Upazila. Hanif, a resident of West Lombabil, had gone to the riverbank to fish, a routine task for many locals in the border region.
The Moment Life Changed
According to family members, Hanif was walking near the border area when he inadvertently stepped on a landmine. The blast was instantaneous. Witnesses reported hearing a deafening explosion followed by Hanif’s screams. Local fishermen rushed to his aid and found him with his left leg mangled and bleeding profusely.
He was initially taken to a local hospital but was later shifted to CMCH as his condition deteriorated. Surgeons were forced to amputate a portion of his leg to save his life.
A Family in Despair
The tragedy has left Hanif’s family—his parents, wife, and young son—in a state of absolute uncertainty. Hanif was the sole breadwinner for the family, who live in a small house on the slopes of a hill in West Lombabil.
“He was the only hope for our family,” cried his father, Fazal Karim. “Now he is helpless himself. I don’t know how we will survive. Even if he returns from the hospital, how will a disabled man climb the steep hills to reach our home?”
His mother, Jahanara Begum, was found wailing outside their home. “My healthy, strong boy is now crippled. He can never go back to the river again. How can I bear to see him like this?”
Heartbreaking Questions
The most painful toll of the incident is being felt by Hanif’s nine-year-old son, Obaidul Huq. Hanif’s wife, Sufaira Begum, who is currently at the hospital, shared the emotional struggle of facing their child.
“My son keeps asking me where his father’s leg is and why it’s missing,” Sufaira said over the phone, her voice breaking. “What answer do I give him? Every time Hanif wakes up, he trembles in fear, remembering that horrific moment.”
